Monday, December 12, 2016

Meredith named deputy Ont. ag. minister

Greg Meredith, a federal public servant for 30 years, takes
over as Ontario’s deputy agriculture minister Jan. 9.

Dr. Deb Stark is retiring after 30 years with the Ontario
civil service. She has been both deputy agriculture minister and chief
veterinarian.

Meredith is currently an assistant deputy minister with the
federal agriculture department where he has worked for a decade in
communications, financial planning and strategic policy.

He often briefed federal politicians on Parliament Hill on
agriculture department issues and was involved in negotiating the current
Growing Forward 2 federal-provincial funding agreement and the privatization of
the Canadian Wheat Board.

The position of deputy minister is, in my experience, far more important and influential than minister. The deputy usually at least knows what he's talking about, which is more than can be said for some Ontario agriculture ministers I've known.